Now, what if we had the opportunity to answer that question and explore the answers through art?

How would that look like?

Here are some examples:

The photograph above of the lion is the symbol of being brave. Brave is a superhero word, most definitely!

This painting above has vibrant colors. We could consider it bold (bold, just like a superhero).

Why are we talking about superhero characteristics?

Here’s why!

The Brain Energy Support Team (BEST) is thrilled and honored to share that we have that very opportunity coming this fall.

BEST is going to be participating in a community art installation at the Tacoma Art Museum (TAM). Work displayed in Tacoma Art Museum’s TAM Local: Community Art Space for the Superhero show from October 16, 2019 to December 26, 2019.

We will have an opening reception Thursday, October 17, 2019 in the TAM Community Art Space.

To learn more about the community art installation program and the museum, please click here.

We are calling all BEST artists throughout Washington State to share your art with us!

Here’s everything you need to know:

WHO: The Brain Energy Support Team (BEST) in partnership with the Tacoma Art Museum (TAM).

WHAT: A community art show at the Tacoma Art Museum (TAM). Work displayed in Tacoma Art Museum’s TAM Local: Community Art Space for the Superhero show from October 16, 2019 to December 26, 2019.

We will have an opening reception Thursday, October 17, 2019 from 5 pm to 7:30 pm in the Community Art Space at TAM.

BEST is seeking art from BEST Artists to share in the following forms: paintings, drawings, mixed-media collage, photography, 3D art, or sculpture.

WHY: What are the characteristics of a superhero? What it is about these traits that make superheroes special? The local artists of the Brain Energy Support Team (BEST) explore these questions through their art, along with their personal stories of the journey forward after traumatic brain injury. We cordially invite you to join us to celebrate finding our own superpowers, individual empowerment and the ability to thrive through art and artistic expression.

Okay, BEST Artists, let’s see your creativity!

HOW: Here are the steps to get started:

Step 1: Look at the Need to Know section below first to review this project. Requirements met? Great! Move on to Step 2.

Step 2: Think about superheroes. What are the traits of a superhero that stand out to you?

Step 3: Decide how you would answer that question through your art (see words and examples above for a little inspiration).

Step 4: Create your art (or if you have a piece of art that is ready that you’d like to share, feel free to share that with BEST).

Step 5: Tell us about your art. Email Kim Thompson at kimt@brainenergysupportteam.org and let her know what kind of art you’d like to share for the show. Kim will assist you in answering your questions and providing additional information.

We can’t wait to hear about your work!

Need to Know:

BEST Artists, here’s what you need to know to participate!

1. Participating BEST Artists must be affiliated with the Brain Energy Support Team (BEST) in one (or more) of the following ways:

a. support group participant

b. support group facilitator

c. volunteer

d. board member

e. Our BEST Space participant

f. BEST team member

g. Second Life (PEER Center/BEST) participant

h. BEST primary community partner/supporter/contributor

2. BEST artists must be a brain injury survivor, caregiver of a brain injury survivor or closely work with brain injury survivors in a support capacity.

3. Participating BEST artists must be a Washington State resident.

4. BEST artists will submit artwork to BEST via personal delivery to Our BEST Space in University Place, Washington, or by mail to the BEST mailing address on or before the submission deadline of Thursday, August 1, 2019, 5 pm.

5. BEST artists will provide an artist’s statement and specific details of the artistic medium and materials to BEST along with a photo of their work which may be used for promotional purposes.

6. BEST Artists must agree to have their work(s) displayed for the duration of the show which is October 16, 2019 to December 26, 2019.

7. BEST Artists will understand that BEST reserves the right to not accept an art submission for any reason.

8. BEST Artists understand that they are responsible for framing and having artwork display ready for any submitted artwork as appropriate and within the guidelines outlined by the Tacoma Art Museum (TAM) that will be included in the instructions when you contact BEST.

9. For artists outside of the Greater Puget Sound area that wish to submit their work by mail, art must be prepared appropriately for mailing and sent to BEST at the following mailing address: Brain Energy Support Team 3800A Bridgeport Way W. #393 University Place, WA 98466.

10. Need assistance in submitting your work to BEST? Have any questions or concerns about getting your art ready? Please reach out to BEST (Kim Thompson at kimt@brainenergysupportteam.org) no later than July 1, 2019 for assistance. We are happy to help you!

11. If artists have 3D works (mixed media collage, sculpture, large works), artists must contact BEST with art project information (size, materials, weight and other pertinent details) at least FOUR WEEKS prior to the art submission deadline of Thursday, August 1, 2019 5 pm. To note, due to space limitations and other guidelines established by TAM, these pieces of artwork must be approved by BEST and TAM in partnership first before submission to the show.

12. After the show, artists are welcome to display their works at Our BEST Space in University Place, Washington, for a time duration that they choose. If the artist would like their work returned to them right after the show, they will need to specify this preference to BEST any time after December 27, 2019. If artists wish to have their work returned, it will be available for pick-up after December 27, 2019 during BEST Space hours of operation or BEST will return works by mail to the artist if requested and the cost is reasonable and sustainable (large and/or heavy works, sculptures or other 3D art will not be eligible for return mail).

Want to be a superhero? Then visit us at the Superhero Shoppe for all your superhero and gift needs!

Here are all the details:

Who: All Superheroes and their friends!

What: A shoppe that offers fun and unique superhero gifts, accessories and more. Proceeds from the Superhero Shoppe support the superheroes of the brain injury community with superhero programs, services and resources. The Superhero Shoppe also proudly features the work of paper artist, Diane Rasch of Heartfelt Tidbits of Creativity.

Why: To share superhero support and fun to the entire community (and to the world!).

More Superhero Shoppe info: Watch this space for our new online Superhero Shoppe coming soon on the BEST website! With our new and upcoming online shoppe, you can shop 24 X 7 from the convenience of home!

BEST will be adding new items regularly to the shoppe. Please visit the BEST blog for the latest inventory announcements and updates.

To note: As a volunteer organization, hours may vary. For more information, please contact us at 877-719-2378 or admin@brainenergysupportteam.org. The Superhero Shoppe accepts cash, credit card or personal check (with valid ID and from a local bank only). We do not accept bills $50 and higher.

In case you missed it, BEST shared recaps and a video for both days of the 2019 Washington State TBI Conference in Spokane, Washington on April 15th and 16th. The recaps provide additional informational links and the video shares our virtual photo album of the event. As a social media bonus, we did a video from the road on the way back west showcasing the beauty of the state.

The 2019 Washington State TBI Conference has come to a conclusion. What a terrific experience it was!

First, we felt a warm welcome to city of Spokane. Thank you for being a super city!

Photo M. Bennett

Second, the day kicked off with some morning greetings, door prizes and fun, which then launched into an important morning session with Dr. Todd Wylie on vision therapy and brain injury.

Dr. Todd Wylie (photo by K.Thompson)

Dr. Wylie expressed the science, symptoms, strategies, treatments and tips on vision therapy and vision issues. It was an interesting discussion with a question and answer session. Read all about Dr. Wylie’s story, here.

Participants were able to take a break, visit and explore the exhibits continued from day one of the conference. Morning breakout sessions after the break included advice and support, assistive technology, brain injury in the corrections system, domestic violence, how to start and maintain a brain injury support group, yoga, art, and massage.

Janet Novinger leads participants in yoga (photo: K. Thompson)

Lunch was shared with important conversation around the parties receiving final approval for settlement to reform Washington’s forensic mental health system (Trueblood Lawsuit Settlement). Read about this critical work, here.

Former legislator, Dennis Flannigan , advocate Darci Ladwig, and Dianella Clark, of the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council and a brain injury survivor and advocate, gave a rousing, hopeful and inspirational group panel on advocacy and activism.

The advice given by all three? Here is the common thread:

Talk to your legislators about brain injury. Practice talking to them. Don’t be afraid to speak to them-you are the expert in your brain injury.

Legislators want to hear from you and hear your story.

Keep contacting legislators.

Organize people power. The more people that share their story, the better.

From left to right: Darci Ladwig, Daniella Clark, and Dennis Flannigan (photo by K. Thompson)

After this inspirational session, conference participants had other fantastic offerings of eight different work shops, from sports concussions, screening for TBIs, yoga and more.

Of course, there was more visiting, new friends, old friends, and warm embraces.

The keynote speaker to kick off the conference was Dr. Cheryle Sullivan and her presentation, “Resilience and Advocacy–The Journey Together.” Dr. Sullivan shared her journey in three parts: as a doctor, a caregiver for multiple family members with brain injury and brain-related medical conditions, and finally as a brain injury survivor herself.

Dr. Sullivan endured six traumatic brain injuries over her lifetime, with the most challenging impact with a ski accident in 2002.

The physician was met becoming a patient, along with a loss of independence, struggles at work, memory issues, mental health and emotional struggles and more.

Navigating the medical system was not easy.

Over time, Dr. Sullivan was able to met the right medical team, specialists, therapies and support groups after enduring so much for so long.

Her message was that of not giving up, to keep going, and finding emotional support, a critical part of the recovery process. Over her journey, she became more hopeful, inspired and a thirst for learning more.

After the keynote speaker, breakout sessions occurred covering various topics such as art as therapy, TBI 101, how to transition to independence and suicide prevention.

BEST Executive Director Gloria Kraegel (photo: K. Thompson)

For one of the breakout sessions, BEST Executive Director Gloria Kraegel and Stacy Chay, LICSWA, MHP from Eastern Washington University, gave a joint presentation on suicide prevention.

Both Kraegel and Shay presented powerful conversation, statistics, information about stigmas about suicide, strategies and a wealth of resources on traumatic brain injury, suicide and suicide prevention.

In the coming days on the BEST website blog, we will be sharing additional, in-depth information on this critical topic in a separate post.

After the break sessions, conference participants had the opportunity to ask questions, mingle and visit with others.

Looking forward to tomorrow’s experience! Thank you to all of the participants that made this first day special.

As a reminder, Our BEST Space and the Superhero Shoppe will be closed for the week of April 15, 2019 due to the 2019 Washington State TBI Conference. We will reopen our community center and shop the week of April 22, 2019 (regular hours–click here to view our schedule).

Thank you for your understanding!

The Brain Energy Support Team (BEST) is looking forward to see old friends and meeting new friends at this year’s conference.

For those unable to attend, we will be posting updates, photos and information on this blog and on BEST social media. Stay tuned!

Work will be displayed in Tacoma Art Museum’s TAM Local: Community Art Space for the Superhero show from October 16, 2019 to December 26, 2019.

We will have an opening reception Thursday, October 17, 2019 in the TAM Community Art Space.

In celebration of this upcoming event, we will be featuring a BEST Artist Spotlight monthly series on the BEST website blog to share just a few of our BEST artists.

The articles will be featured until our opening reception event.

In this series, we’ll share the thoughts and inspirations of BEST artists who have embraced art on their life’s journey.

Here is our first spotlight and interview.

BEST Artist Spotlight April 2019: Diane Rasch

Diane’s Connection to BEST: Diane serves as the BEST Creative Consultant for Arts and Education and the BEST Gratitude Specialist.

Diane’s Connections to Art: Local paper and multimedia artist who is the creator and owner of Heartfelt Tidbits of Creativity, a handcrafted greeting card and gift business.

Diane’s Favorite Art to Create: “I love multimedia pieces—that’s what I really like. I love to work with beads, shells, sea glass and paint. I also like to add different things, like charms or words, and intermingle them all together.”

Theme of Diane’s Art: “Gratitude and encouragement, for sure. Heartfelt Tidbits of Creativity was founded on art that speaks from the heart.”

Why Art is Special to Diane: “I’ve always been just drawn to artists. It’s so exciting to put my full heart onto a canvas or a piece of art.”

Diane’s Favorite Superhero Characteristics: “A superhero lives a life of gratitude. Whatever they are doing, they are thankful. They have courage that encompasses so many things. Superheroes are also encouraging of others. Encouragement can change someone’s day or life. And kindness. Kindness is huge!”

To learn more about the community art installation program, the Tacoma Art Museum (TAM), and how you can participate as a local BEST artist, please click here.